Larry Fitzgerald shares theory for why Marvin Harrison Jr.’s Cardinals tenure fell flat
Marvin Harrison Jr. lasted less than two-and-a-half years with the Cardinals where he was once labeled a generational prospect.
Watch: Exclusive: Larry Fitzgerald eager to show fans gratitude at Arizona Cardinals Ring of Honor ceremony | 13 mins
Coming out of Ohio State, Marvin Harrison Jr. was labeled a “can’t miss” prospect.
After the Arizona Cardinals selected him fourth overall in the 2024 NFL Draft, he wasn’t able to live up to those expectations, and his Cardinals tenure came to an end during Week 5 of the NFL season when he was abruptly traded to the Houston Texans along with a 2027 sixth-round pick in exchange for 2027 second- and seventh-round picks.
Former Cardinals legendary wide receiver and Pro Football Hall of Famer Larry Fitzgerald was asked on Arizona Sports’ Bickley & Marotta Thursday why he thought the situation didn’t work out despite the early hype.
“He was as much of a can’t-miss prospect as there is coming out of the draft, he’s done it at the highest level, dominated at Ohio State … so the pick was right,” Fitzgerald said. “The evaluation was right. I just don’t really know what went wrong. I think he’s a great athlete. For you to really be at your best, like your confidence level has to be high. I don’t know if his confidence was where it could have been in the latter part of the relationship. And that definitely can affect your psyche.”
Fitzgerald went on to say that lack of confidence affects everything from your ability to prepare to your self-worth as a human altogether.
Harrison’s rookie season displayed some flashes, as he totaled 885 yards and eight touchdowns, but each year onward went progressively downhill. He gained 608 yards in 2025 and only 85 yards in his four games with the Cardinals this season.
“You have to be accustomed to beating back that doubt,” Fitzgerald said. “That voice in your mind, it will always be there. You just have to get better at beating it back. … It can become difficult when the noise becomes so loud as it was here around town for him.”
In Harrison’s first game with the Texans in London, they picked up the win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, 34-31. Harrison had three catches for 34 yards.
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Comments
6 Comments
Eases Starvin Marvin back in. Plus it was one of those body messing up foreign games. Marv's been through a lot. Mind blow. Patience, grasshopper. There's a reason he was Top 5 in 200 plus mock drafts.
All these fanboy details and not a single one of the ocean of highly paid NFL scouts and super highly paid NFL GM's saw this in the film they watched? You paint a picture of a player who shouldn't have been drafted at all. Yet Starvin' Marvin was Top Five in virtually every one of 200 plus mock drafts.
But hey, you know better! Except you write like a hater.
Everyone else can produce with Brissett or Murray it’s only Harrison Jr who seems to have problems….. it’s because he sucks and cannot play, it’s clear as day on film but go ahead tell yourself whatever lie you need to tell yourself to justify the high price Caserio paid for a just of a WR . And the stat isn’t misleading at all, Harrison Jr was in for several plays 10+ and only had 34yds, he looked as slowed in Houston uniform as he did in AZ. He was gaining separation at all, all those receptions came inside of 5-10yrs against off or zone coverage, it’s the only thing Harrison Jr can do and he’s not super consistent at that. He can’t beat man coverage he’s not a #1, can not win outside down the boundary he doesn’t separate n gets out worked. And he’s a prima-Donna and a proven quitter who pouts n cries not taking accountability for his own shortcomings when the reason he doesn’t get the ball is it will be picked off if a QB did throw it when he doesn’t get separation.
Harrison Jr is literally the worst WR in the NFL in separation metrics, I guess that’s on the QB to. The fact he gets pushed around n bodied by much smaller corners is on the QB to I guess, be shame to call Stroud trash to when Harrison Jr inevitably underperforms with Stroud in the NFL as well. Straight up clownish take 🤡